Give Me a Reason to Stand in the Dark
by tinacreeper
Summary: **Sequel chapter added** Sam has been posted as the new leader of Atlantis. Just before she is due to embark, Sam arrives at Jack's house, uncertain of her place in any galaxy.
1. Give Me A Reason Part One

**A/N:**_**  
-- **__Spoilers up to the beginning of season 4 of Stargate Atlantis, and for the end of season 8 of Stargate SG-1.  
__**-- **__Set after "The Ark Of Truth" movie, and just before season 4 of Stargate Atlantis._

**Give Me a Reason to Stand in the Dark  
**  
"They couldn't have picked anyone more qualified," Jack said, flicking the cap of his beer bottle into the fireplace. She closed her eyes as it hit the grate with a painful _ting_.  
"I'm sure Daniel would kill for the job," Sam offered with a small smile, trying to break the palpable tension between them.  
"After what happened with Weir, I doubt the IOA is ever going to let anyone run the place with less than stars on their shoulders." He downed the last of his beer and sighed heavily; he hadn't looked at her once since she arrived at his house half an hour ago.  
His house was dark, cold and stagnant. He hadn't bothered to turn any lights on and it was overcast outside - winter was setting in. He hadn't been home in months, dust had settled on photo frames and on shelves, and the only food that wasn't well past its Best Before date were the two boxes of six packs he bought yesterday, upon receiving the phone call: the Atlantis Expedition has a new leader – Colonel. Samantha Carter. _His_ Sam.

They sat on his couch, in the fading light of the afternoon, in a sad silence.

She looked up at the ceiling, breathed, looked around at the photographs on the wall to her left and noticed one of SG-1. It had been taken the weekend after her father died. Sam's breath caught in her chest as she studied the photo, and remembered. It was spring in the photograph; they stood outside Jack's cabin, facing the water. Daniel was on the far right, holding a fishing rod and looked as though he was pushing his glasses on. Teal'c was beside him, holding another fishing rod, and sporting an extremely large and enthusiastic grin. And beside them were Sam and Jack. Sam studied herself in the photograph, noting the differences, the short hair, the fewer stress lines, and Jack's arm around her waist. She noticed how the Sam in the photo was turned slightly toward him; it was as though something private had occurred moments before the photo was taken.

She wanted, so badly, a reason to stay.

Sam looked over at Jack, he'd already cracked open another beer. "You should go," He said, suddenly looking directly into her eyes, "Go kick some wraith ass." She smiled sadly at his irreverent humour, and looked down at her own untouched beer.  
"It could be for over a year," she said pointlessly, "What about all the work I still have to do here?"  
"Carter," he said in that tone that tells her that she's panicking and he's about to make everything okay with the obvious, "It's _Atlantis_. You _have_ to go."  
She felt tears in her eyes, "What about you?"  
He didn't say anything for a few moments; they just sat there, searching each other's eyes for the answer. "Sam." He said in defeat, and she knew what was coming and suddenly didn't want to hear it. Panic and hurt, unlike anything she'd ever felt before, suddenly surged inside her.

She stood, "Sir, this was a bad idea, I should just go," she rushed her words and he stood just as suddenly. She made her way to the door.  
"Sam!" He went after her.  
At the door, her hand on the handle, she opened it, "Carter!" He pushed the door shut. She turned; her back now flush against the door, tears unexpectedly streaming down her face. His left hand was still on the door, above her right shoulder, they were inches apart. He was angry, the first emotion that she'd actually seen from him in some time.  
He searched her eyes, and when he saw fresh tears fall, his expression softened. He lowered his hand from the door, and cupped her face, using his thumb to wipe away the tears. She let her head relax into his hand, and he placed his other hand on her hip and closed the space between them. She looked up at him; he was suddenly very serious again, his eyes flickering between hers and her lips. She could feel adrenaline coursing through her body; her hands were shaking slightly as she slowly placed them on his chest.  
"Jack, I..."  
"You don't need a reason to stay," he said quietly, "But I want you to have a reason to come back." He moved forward, hesitating centimetres away from her lips, and he looked into her eyes. She snaked her left arm around his neck, settling her fingers at his nape, and pulled him closer. When he kissed her, they maintained eye contact for several moments until she could feel an immense amount of emotion start to emerge within her that she wasn't prepared for. She closed her eyes, as did he, when their tongues collided, the emotion within her exploded and there was a fiery need for more. He entwined his hand in her hair, pulling her deeper into the kiss, his other hand slid up under her shirt, caressing her delicate skin, she shivered at his touch. He gently pushed her back against the door, his body now flush against hers and any space that existed between them was now extinct, and worked on her neck. She leaned her head against his, breathing heavily, she could feel his erection against her hip and considered _just doing it_ (god knows she wanted too), but common sense going the better of her, and after a moment brought his lips back to hers and kissed him deeply.

When she pulled back from him, his lips were red, wet, and swollen; she smiled, and used her thumb to wipe some saliva from his bottom lip. He caught her hand with his, kissed her thumb, and pulled her into a hug. He held her close, breathing her in, as if this moment might be their last together for years. One arm was around her waist, another around her shoulders, his face was turned into her neck. "Sam," he started, finding himself unexpectedly vulnerable. She could feel his heart start to race, his shoulders drop and sadness take over him, and she held him tighter, arms around his shoulders, one hand stroking the base of his hairline. She kissed his neck, pulling slowly out of the hug to look at him. "I'll be here when you get back," he said, a grin curling on the corner of his lips.  
"Yes, Sir," she smiled.  
"Carter?" he raised an eyebrow.  
"Jack," she let out a small laugh, allowing her head to fall against his.  
They let out a simultaneous breath of relief that they felt like they'd been holding on too for over a decade.

**END.**

**A/N:**  
_Thanks for reading! This is my first (completed) Jack/Sam fic. Reviews are greatly appreciated!_


	2. Be There To Catch Me Part Two

_**A/N: **__Set just after __Continuum__. Since her return from Atlantis, Jack and Sam haven't had much time to talk. After the events of "Continuum," Sam takes a late night walk to Jack's quarters.__**  
**_

**Be There To Catch Me, And I'll Fall Apart**

"Sir, I can't just pack up everything to run command on some planet," Colonel Everett argued, "After you rejected three requests for an off-world post... I have a wife now, god dammit. Why now? Why now after everything?"  
"Moon," Jack stated.  
"What?" Everett spat, not wanting to let confusion sway his anger.  
"It's a moon, not a planet." Everett sat back in his chair, anger having fumed into a hopeless acceptance. Jack merely grinned.

Eight Months Earlier – Tok'ra Home World

As Vala left to talk with Ba'al's host, the rest of SG-1 and General O'Neill headed to what was the Tok'ra equivalent of a mess.  
"Sir, I'd like to discuss plans for the new moon base," Sam said as they made their way through the winding corridors. He beamed inwardly, privately enjoying the way her face would light up over the most innocuous of things.  
"Blueprints? Now, Carter?" Jack looked at her sideways, "We just spent six, long, snackless hours listening to that crooning." Sam stifled a giggle and raised an eyebrow, not wavering in her decision to discuss moon base plans. "_Snackless_, Carter," he watched her as they walked, she was smiling, he'd done that; he could sleep well tonight. He sighed, defeated. "Fine. But only after I've had some of that fabulous Tok'ra pie."  
"Yes sir," she said jovially, beaming.

***

Sam made her way to Jack's quarters, folder labelled "Icarus Project" in hand. It was well after nine, but she held every confidence he would still be awake. They'd been distracted by Ba'al's host falling into a coma, and thus Jack hadn't had to hear Sam's plans after all. But she was just as stubborn as he was. She took a few deep breaths, uncharacteristically anxious, as she walked through the long crystalline corridors. The Tok'ra hadn't needed to build an underground base since the fall of the Goa'uld, and Sam was enjoying the light from the city flooding through the windows, casting long, spidery shadows along the curved walls and ceiling, reflecting off of the crystal – creating a stunning display of rainbow light through the corridor. Despite the solemn memory of her father that came with visiting the Tok'ra, this was Sam's favourite place off-world.

After her return from Atlantis just a week ago, she and Jack hadn't had much time to talk. He had been on his way to Cheyenne when she'd arrived, and so their time together was spent on business – discussing security and various "what could go wrong" scenarios and "are we even sure this is the last clone" theories. They hadn't even had time to properly say 'hello'.  
But now that the extraction ceremony had been performed, and with only the distant threat of the Lucian Alliance, they were finally in the same place at the same time, with, dare she even think it, free time.

Suddenly finding herself at Jack's door a lot quicker than she'd anticipated, she knocked without even thinking. She had assumed that the walk to his quarters would have given her ample time to prepare what she was going to say. She'd keep it to business, maybe a little light conversation, and then she would leave, leaving any possibility of anything more completely and totally up to him. But finding herself face to face with him as he opened the door, she felt her stomach drop and her breath catch. She hadn't been prepared for this, at all. He was standing there, baggy camouflage pants topped with a form fitting black shirt, his face soft and his eyes – surprised to see her there, but devouring nonetheless. A small smile tickled the corner of his lips.

"Sir," She breathed, flush and hot, "Sorry to bother you this late…" She suddenly forgot why she was there. She searched her brain, unable to form coherent sentences, "I just – you – um," but as she continued to wrack her thoughts for the answer, all she found were images of Jack, in front of her, and then she was suddenly back at his cabin with him pressing her up against the door. His smile widened and he raised an eyebrow as he watched her struggle with her words. He relished these moments, as they were so few and far between. It was a rare thing to see, Astrophysicist, Colonel, and Expert On Everything, Samantha Carter not knowing what to say.  
Starting to feel guilty for keeping her in her misery, he gestured to the folder in her hand.  
"Icarus?" He said, interrupting her spiel of incoherency.  
Thankful, she let out a breath and handed the folder to him, "Yes sir."  
"Come in," taking it, he turned his back and entered the room. She followed, closing the door behind her with a wave of her hand over the sensor.

The moment the door shut, she saw him cast the folder aside and was caught off guard by an arm around her waist, another across her shoulders, and his body against hers, enveloping her in his embrace. She responded almost immediately, melting against him and weaving her hands around and up his back, as she closed her eyes. He moved his head into her neck, and tightened his hold on her. She reciprocated, adjusting her arms so they could be closer.  
"Sam," he whispered into her neck, his lips brushing against her skin as he spoke, and she shivered, tightening her hold on him as his warm breath slipped down her back.  
"I missed you," she whispered, her eyes watering.  
His hand moved to the base of her neck and stroked her softly. He could have stayed there forever, fused with her in an unbreakable form, hearts beating against each other at an ever increasing in pace, the feel of her skin under his lips, wanting them to stay there and explore her in ways he'd only done subconsciously, and the feel of her shiver beneath him. He held her tighter, acutely aware of the ache in his chest; he needed her so much closer.  
"Jack," she said, so quietly he wasn't sure if he'd actually heard it. He pulled back, just far enough that he could hold her eyes to his; her beautiful, shining eyes that were now lined with moisture as she fought back tears. She moved a hand to his face, allowing herself the freedom to run it over his hair, smoothing out the rogue strands that never sat right, and left it to rest at his jawline; the intimate gesture surprised them both.

"Your hair's longer," he said, taking in the soft vibrations of her giggle against him, "It's nice," he said playing with the end of her ponytail.  
"It's not exactly Air Force," she was smiling, "I'm thinking of getting it cut."  
He stopped playing and turned his focus back to her eyes, "No," he said, "Don't. I like it." She moved her head back into his shoulder, smiling softly, "Okay." He readjusted his arms and they stood there together comfortably in each others arms, time passing by unnoticed.  
"Sam?" He said.  
"Hmm?" She replied contently.  
"I love you," he said into her hair, completely confident in his words.  
She took a deep breath, inhaling what she could of his scent, and smiled widely. "Me too." He kissed her hair and she looked up at him, "So much," she added just before touching her lips to his.

The end.


End file.
